


Everything Was Gone

by yuki812



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen, Translation from Chinese, old Raleigh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-19 09:05:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1463578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuki812/pseuds/yuki812
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He picked up an old man along the road. Turned out it was a war hero.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything Was Gone

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Everything was gone](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1472854) by [Lansai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lansai/pseuds/Lansai). 



> This fic was originally written in Chinese by my friend Lansai. Feel free to pick out any grammar mistake.

 

On July 19th 2063, I met Raleigh Becket on my way to Michigan.

 

He was sitting on the front hood of his broken down car when I slowed down beside him. "Sir, need any help?" I asked.

 

He narrowed his eyes trying to see better. Then he smiled and said, "Why, thank you, mister. I think I do need some help."

 

He was headed for Kalamazoo and I wasn't headed for anywhere particular, so I picked him up.

 

I didn't ask for his name at the beginning. I guessed I just forgot.

 

We passed two gas stations and stopped at the third because I figured the car needed some fuel and so did we. We parked and got out for food.

 

The old man sat down with me at the little restaurant. He didn't seem to care for his car left by the roadside.

 

The food came much later than I expected and the silence was stretching. I tried some small talk starting from the old man's name.

 

"Do you mind if I ask your name?" I said, wondering when my lamb steak would came.

 

"Of course not." He replied, "My name is Raleigh Becket. Always has been."

 

I was a little surprised but I was polite enough to keep it off my face. The name Raleigh was not uncommon these days. Among the children born after 2025, many were named Raleigh, some by coincidence, some on purpose. If their family name wasn't Becket, then they would be Raleigh Lockwood, Raleigh Arthbury or Raleigh whatever.

 

But this is an old man. He couldn't have been born after 2025.

 

And there was little coincidence in this world.

 

"Excuse me, sir, are you THE Raleigh Becket?" I asked him as quietly as I could manage.

  
"Depends on which Raleigh Becket you refer to. If you are referring to a certain Ranger, then yes, that's me." he said. The smile on his face made his wrinkles seem deeper.

  
That Raleigh Becket was a legend. He saved the world. A true hero. Every child idolized him. He was on the recruiting poster.

  
But he didn't look like the man on that poster, not at all. Or maybe it was just my eyes being tricked by two beers.

  
I was surprised because Raleigh Becket, the walking legend, soon disappeared after saving the world. You could see his name everywhere. But other than that, the man himself simply vanished. Nobody knew where he was or what he was doing. He was like a hermit, disappearing from the prying eyes of the public.

 

"Sir, it is an honor to meet you. I had no idea I was helping a hero..." I was a little lost, not knowing what to say.

 

"A hero. What a word. I used to enjoy being called a hero a long time ago." He grinned. It was then when his cream soup arrived. I had thought old people wouldn't like creamy things.

 

"You still look every bit the hero you used to be." When I realized it was not the right thing to say, I tried to make it right. "Well, I mean, you still are..."

  
"I understand, son." He said, "Never mind. It was all in the wind."

  
I nodded, my eyes fixed on the beer in front of me.

  
Fortunately, my steak arrived at that moment, saving me from embarrassment. And I was really hungry.

 

*

 

We took off after the meal. I felt better with a full stomach.

  
I kept the music on. But you couldn't really expect high quality stereo on a rental car. It was soon making squeaking noise, so I had to turn it off.

  
Mr. Becket was silent and so was I. It was a little awkward. But the man sitting in the passenger seat was a hero who saved the world. What kind of things should you say to someone like that? The silence stretched.

  
Whatever, I decided, I would try making some small talk or we might both end up falling asleep.

  
"Mr. Becket, where were you after the final battle? We hadn’t really heard anything about you in the news.” I asked and then felt really stupid for asking such an insensitive question.

 

Mr. Becket didn’t seem to be offended by my question. “I’ve been to many places.” He answered good-naturedly. “There was no more war so I finally had my own life. But I wasn’t completely absent. I returned for every friend’s wedding. I’m a good friend.”

 

I chuckled. He was funny, not the usual serious type of hero. Not at all the same person we saw on the posters.

 

“Did you get married?” Another dumb question, I thought to myself.

 

“No, I didn’t.” He said, “I thought I would get married someday, but my other half didn’t come looking for me.” He raised his eyebrows, looking a bit smug at a good joke and a bit sad at the same time.

 

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I simply replied, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

“What are you sorry for? You hide my fiancée somewhere in your car?” He joked.

 

He was really funny. After the apocalypse was canceled, many women claimed to have had a romantic relationship with Raleigh Becket. Some stories seemed to have some credibility while others were complete nonsense, but in none of those stories did they mention that Raleigh Becket was someone with plenty of humor.

 

Some time later, it began to rain. Soon raindrops were splashing against our windshield. I was very careful with the wheel for fear of driving into the greenbelts.

 

Mr. Becket was humming under his breath and drumming his fingers. I couldn’t help turning my head to glance at him.

 

He stopped and asked, “You don’t mind, do you?”

 

“No.” I answered, “You have a good voice.”

 

“Thank you.” He grinned and continued with the humming and drumming.

 

It was a very, very old song.

 

Mr. Becket was just humming. I couldn’t make out the lyrics. But I must have heard it somewhere. I just couldn’t remember the name.

 

But I did remember the melody so I joined him.

 

Apart from the clatter made by the tireless windshield wipers, there was only our soft humming. This trip was turning into a road trip with an old friend. Definitely one of the best passengers I picked up by the road.

 

“Many years ago,” He stopped humming and said, “I loved this song.”

 

“What’s it called?” I asked.

 

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t really remember.” He smiled and said.

 

“It’s beautiful. Very touching.” I said.

 

“Yes, very touching indeed.” Mr. Becket told me, “Me and my brother Yancy, we used to sing it together. A very beautiful song.”

 

“Wow.” I said, a little over-dramatic, “The girls must have fallen head over heels for you two.”

 

“Yean.” Mr. Becket said, “But I was the more popular one.” He grinned, seemingly lost in some good memories.

 

“You look charming.” I said.

 

“Thank you. But I believe it was not because of that.” Mr. Becket said, “Yancy didn’t like the crowd. He was always sleepy.”

 

I didn’t know what to say, so I drove on silently.

 

Mr. Becket also fell silent.

 

The air seemed a bit dense in the car.

 

Everyone knew the brother of hero Raleigh Becket, Yancy Becket, was also a hero. For me, Yancy Becket was not the hero his brother was. He was K.I.A in a fight in 2020. Mr. Becket seemed to miss his brother. Very much. 

 

I should say something to lighten the mood but it was hard to come up with something good enough.

 

“Ahem…” I cleared my throat.

 

Mr. Becket was drumming with his fingers without humming.

 

“If I may ask, Mr. Becket, do you miss your brother?” I said.

 

He turned to look at me curiously, and said, “Yes, I miss him very much.”

 

“Maybe that’s the problem, sir, missing him too much. Forgive me for my bluntness, but missing him will not bring him back. And you can’t have your own life.”

 

He looked straight at me, thoughtful. Then he nodded, “Yes, you are right. But what else can I do…” He was not finished.

 

“I just miss you so much, Yancy. I can’t help it.” Raleigh said.

 

He looked at me. His eyes clear and full of laugh.

 

I sighed and smiled, “I’m right here, kiddo.”

 

“So why don’t you come here and give me a hug?”

 

FIN

 

 


End file.
